Less Pain, More Game: Efficacy of Red Kinesiology Tape on Carpal Tunnel-Like Symptoms and Performance in Esports Gamers
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if dorsally applied kinesiology tape is an effective conservative treatment for symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome and assess the potential performance effect of the tape color in first-person shooter esports games in esports gamers who exhibit symptoms that resemble carpal tunnel syndrome. The main questions it aims to answer are: Is dorsally applied kinesiology tape able to manage carpal tunnel syndrome-like symptoms in esports gamers? Does red kinesiology tape hinder or improve performance in first-person shooter esports games in esports gamers? Researchers will compare red kinesiology tape to skin tone kinesiology tape. Both will be applied on the dorsal aspect of the hand and wrist of the dominant upper extremity. Participants will visit the site 2 times to get kinesiology tape applied and complete a pre and post-test for pain and performance. Depending on randomization a participant will receive a random sequence of the study arm (ex: red then skin tone or skin tone then red tape)
Description
Less Pain, More Game - Efficacy of Red Kinesiology Tape on Carpal Tunnel Symptoms and Performance in Esports Gamers is a clinical trial that aims to determine if dorsally applied kinesiology tape can manage or improve symptoms that resemble carpal tunnel syndrome in esports gamers. Esports gamers use their hands very differently from the average individual when participating in hours of video game play. This study first aims to test if kinesiology tape would benefit these individuals despite the frequency and intensity with which they use their hands and fingers. Performance and competition i…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * over 18 years old * can see color vision * reports having numbness, tingling, weakness, or pain in the hands, wrist, or fingers * has a positive Phalen's test result * passes Ishihara Color Vision Test with a score of at least 12 * provides written consent * reports to play video games over 5 hours a week on average Exclusion Criteria: * cognitively impaired * pregnant * has history of skin conditions * has history of hand conditions other than carpal tunnel syndrome * has history of surgery to the wrist, hand, or fingers * is currently receiving other forms of physiot…
Interventions
- DeviceKinesiology Tape
The kinesiology tape (KT) is applied with the dorsal application for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). This method is utilized and explained in Krause et al. (2020). This study will assess the efficacy of the application method as well as the varying effects of the color of the KT. Red KT will be compared to skin tone KT. The skin tone KT will be color-matched as closely as possible to each participant's skin tone to reduce the effect of the KT color. In this way, the study's second purpose is to understand the potential effect of color on psychological function and performance in the context of aggressive first-person shooter esports games.
Location
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas - Shadow Lane CampusLas Vegas, Nevada